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WRIGHT- PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The 88th Air Base Wing Civil Engineer Group exemplified winter weather readiness with a display of its specialized snow removal equipment on the Area A flightline during its biennial snow parade October 3.
“This event truly highlights our capability and expertise, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to ensuring that the mission at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base never falters, no matter the challenges we face,” said Col. Dustin C. Richards, 88th Air Base Wing commander.
Wing leadership and parade attendees had the opportunity to climb aboard and learn about the lineup of heavy-duty trucks equipped with unique tools essential for maintaining safe flight line operations. Notable equipment included a 22-foot butterfly plow, a 22-foot broom, and a 22-foot push box.
The butterfly plows are designed to clear heavy snow from runways and taxiways, while the rollover plow performs a similar function but can handle even heavier snow and throw it farther away from cleared paths. The brooms are critical for keeping runways and taxiways clear, it is deployed as soon as the first snowflake falls and remains active until the flightline is cleaned down to the pavement. Meanwhile, the push box is used for clearing large areas, such as aircraft parking spots.
“If we don’t prepare ourselves, we risk falling two or three steps behind,” said Greg Wheelcock, Chief of Heavy Equipment, 88th Civil Engineering Group. “By staying proactive with our pretreatments and road maintenance, we ensure that our work is done promptly, allowing the rest of Wright-Patt to operate smoothly and efficiently."
88 CEG’s specialized equipment and proactive strategies, underscores their commitment to maintaining safe and operational conditions for the people at the base, no matter the challenges posed by winter weather.
According to Wheelcock, last year was relatively mild, but the installation did experience a couple events with approximately 1 to 3 inches of snow, accompanied by high winds and extreme cold from the polar vortex. This resulted in wet snow that eventually turned to ice. Despite these challenges, 88 CEG successfully cleared roads and parking lots with minimal disruption, and the flightline remained operational throughout the events.
As a “wet winter” approaches, Wheelcock and his team are confident in their ability to keep missions at Wright-Patterson thriving.
“We have the heavy equipment and skilled craftsmen ready to do the job efficiently,” Wheelcock said. “We can clear the area so everyone can go home or get to work safely.”
To see more photos of the snow parade, visit the 88 ABW Flickr page: 88 ABW Flickr.
| Date Taken: | 10.10.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.20.2024 15:13 |
| Story ID: | 485205 |
| Location: | DAYTON, OHIO, US |
| Hometown: | WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 10 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Winter ready: 88th Air Base Wing showcases snow removal preparedness, by Zion Dillahunt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
